The set-up:
Now that I’m mixing my go-to’s at more than 30-60ml at a time, I’ve been trying to pay attention to the possibility of the diminishing of flavors due to loss of volitile flavor molecules during and after the steeping process.
I usually fill up to the neck or just above the shoulder of a Boston Round. But, I have been known to shake thoroughly and steal 15-20ml at week 3. My patience needs work!
It’s not easy to assess, because some flavors naturally fade or get obscured by Creams. More testing can be done if I want a more precise answer, but I don’t want to mix a Single Flavor Test at 120ml! So, I wanted to ask for others’ general observations.
Re: Amount of liquid Surface Area and Air Space in half-full/quarter-full 120ml glass Boston Rounds vs. Volitile Flavor Molecules
The question:
If I let the mix steep until considered homogeneous, can I take 30ml at-a-time out of that bottle over a long period of time? Or, will that last 30ml have diminished flavor due to the air/liquid ratio and broad surface area? Is this effect more likely at Week 3 than Week 4 or 8?
I feel like I should completely steep in the 120ml glass, then separate into 4 individual 30ml plastic droppers. But, that takes up a lot of bottles when I’d rather refill one bottle every time it runs empty.
I haven’t done a direct comparison between a juice I’ve robbed early and one I’ve completely left untouched. I mix in 100ml bottles, plastic, and fill just below the neck. I should do a comparison someday, but I’m much like you and heed their siren song too early far too often.
I think I would look to @Ken_O_Where for insight. I believe he mixes large batches and pulls of what he wants over a course of a year from some of his mixes.
I think yer all good if you store in glass with a proper lid. I keep it to 240ml bottles now as my large batch scale broke. I dont notice much of a difference from storing and pouring from half/liter bottles, if any.
You should be fine i do a similar thing with a custard base i pinch a little every now and then and test with new flavors. I keep it in a brown glass bottle with a good lid ( no nic) and haven’t noticed any flavor diminish imo as long as it is well shaken and steeped for 2 weeks with regular shaking the flavor molecules should be even through out the mix let us know if you find anything is affected tho.
I mix my large batches in mason jars, using the white plastic threaded lids. Like @Benoz I always have anywhere from 200 to 600 ml. of my Custard base. I leave it in the jar until it’s empty. After all that background info… I have never noticed a diminished flavor. I also do the same with my blu razz recipe and no loss of flavor. None that I notice anyway.
If I take a bit at the 3 week mark, which is often and more like 2 weeks, if I deem it good I will refrigirate the remaining bottle. This helps with flavors that are notorious faders.
@Plunderdrum I am NOT the expert, but I can tell you how I mix larger mixes, and/or what I’ve noticed. Guess I’m a glass sn0b, as I only use glass for my NIC in the freezer (I’m sure glass has to be better in some ways), but I tend to mix most in PET cosmos with twist tops. 120ml’s have worked out very well, and despite mixing 1L at a time for long term personal storage or for sale, I keep sticking with the 120’s. I would much prefer to have (4) 120’s, using one at a time until done then moving onto the next, rather than opening one big 500ml bottle, re-exposing my entire mix to air, and leeching off flavor molecules every time it’s opened. I’ve had no issues with PET cosmos, and did do some tests between smaller glass, pet, and LDPE bottles over 2-3 months steep, and the only difference I noticed was a SLIGHT drop off (very minor if at all) with the squishy LDPE bottles. Couldn’t tell any difference between the glass and PET mixes.
If you treat your mega mix just like NIC, then ideally you would break it down from one big bottle into smaller (within reason) bottles, that way, every time it’s opened you are only exposing a smaller batch to air, oxidizing, loosing flavor (if any) on a small portion of the main mix, with all your other bottles staying sealed up. Obviously if you are mixing 500ml - 1000ml breaking down into 30ml would be insane LOL, BUT, do what’s best for your own sanity. 120’s just seem to be the sweet middle ground for me.
I have an update! I just found an old bottle of my Pineapple Upside-Deep-Fried Spongecake in the glove box of my car this morning.
It had about 3ml left in a 120 Gorilla PET bottle I used as my carry around bottle after it steeped for 3 or 4 weeks in the same bottle.
It was mixed on Nov 14th, 2017 and that remaining 2 or 3ml had been in my car since probably January. So, it sat through Winter, Spring and Summer, in Florida! The flavor was Outstanding and just as strong as it was in January.
I also brought out a 60ml bottle of my Grape Soda that’s had about 5-6ml sitting in the bottom of it in the back of my steep drawer since October, mixed on Sept 9th just a couple of months ago. The flavor is awesome!
Conclusion: Not sure about pre-steeped, but once it has steeped, a tiny amount in a large bottle is pretty much going to retain its potency.